Govt to build processing centres for fair livestock prices

                                      ---Fisheries and Livestock Minister

Munshiganj :

The government will establish local-level processing and packaging centres to ensure fair prices for livestock products and protect farmers from financial losses, Fisheries, Livestock, and Agriculture Minister Mohammed Aminur Rashid said today.

​ Farmers often incur losses because they do not get fair prices for their produce. To solve this problem, effective measures must be taken at every stage- from production to packaging, processing, and marketing, he said.

​ The Minister was speaking as the chief guest at the closing ceremony of a two-day training session for beneficiaries of the Integrated Livestock Development Project for riverine char areas under Manikganj, Dhaka, Munshiganj, Rajbari, Faridpur, Madaripur, and Shariatpur districts, held at the Gazaria Upazila Parishad Auditorium.

​ Assuring that there will be no shortage of fertilizer in the country, the minister warned that any attempt to create an artificial crisis despite sufficient stock will not be tolerated. He pledged that the government will take necessary measures to ensure the timely supply of all agricultural inputs according to farmers’ demands.

The ​ Minister underscored the need for accurate government data on agricultural output to aid advance planning regarding crop land, fertilizer and seed requirements, and market demand. ​If details on production and input needs are maintained through farmer cards, the distribution of agricultural materials, including fertilizer and seeds, can be streamlined, he observed. The government, under the guidance of Prime Minister Tarique Rahman, is prioritizing the welfare of farmers and working to strengthen the rural economy, he added.

​ Highlighting the conservation of fisheries, the minister announced plans to set up sanctuaries in public (khas) water bodies across various districts. These sanctuaries will serve as safe havens during the dry season and aid fish breeding during the monsoon, though local cooperation is crucial for success, he said.

Presided over by Munshiganj District Commissioner Syeda Nurmahal Ashrafi, the event was addressed by special guests including Munshiganj-3 MP Md. Kamruzzaman, Fisheries and Livestock Secretary Md. Delwar Hossain, Director General of the Department of Livestock Services Md. Shahjaman Khan, and Director General of the Department of Fisheries Dr. Md. Khaled Konak. Project Director Dr. Md. Abdur Rahim delivered the welcome speech.

​ At the function, 25 heifers and cattle feed were distributed to 25 beneficiaries, while 500 saplings of improved tree varieties were handed over to 100 farmers. Later, the minister released 286 kg of carp fingerlings into a canal connected to the Phuldi River.
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